Woman found dead in ‘suspicious’ Los Angeles apartment fire

LOS ANGELES - A woman was found dead in a fire-damaged apartment in the Crenshaw district today, and the cause of the fire “appears to be suspicious,” the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

The elderly woman was found in the residence around 2:05 a.m., said department spokesman Erik Scott.

Scott said 41 firefighters went to the site in response to reports of smoke coming from a ground floor apartment at the 33-unit two-story building, La Ronda Cooperative in the 3900 block of Ursula Avenue.

The fire was knocked down in 13 minutes, Scott said, and the woman’s body was discovered during a subsequent search and rescue sweep of the apartment. Her name was not immediately available.

“The cause of the early morning blaze remains under active investigation by the LAFD Arson Section, and appears to be suspicious in nature,” Scott said.

A videographer at the scene said firefighters had been initially told there may be someone trapped in the apartment.

Damage was estimated at $12,000 to the structure and contents, the LAFD reported.